Packers defensive end Kampman pitches in to help ravaged town
Kampman a native of area devastated Sunday by tornado

By Andy Nelesen -Green Bay Press-Gazette--May 28, 2008

Green Bay Packers defensive end Aaron Kampman's grandfather is recovering after surgery for injuries suffered in the tornado that struck Parkersburg, Iowa, on Sunday.

Claas Kampman's home was destroyed by the tornado. Seven people died in the storm.

Aaron Kampman, a native of nearby Kesley, Iowa, is in the storm-ravaged area helping clear debris and clean up damage. He was visiting relatives elsewhere when the storm hit and made his way to the Parkersburg area after learning of the damage, Packers spokesman Adam Woullard said Tuesday.

Kampman was a football standout at Aplington-Parkersburg High School, where he played middle linebacker and guard. He is one of four NFL players to come from the school.

The high school and more than 350 homes in the area were destroyed. The damage in Parkersburg alone is extensive: 222 homes destroyed in a town of some 1,000 residents, 21 businesses destroyed, and more than 400 homes damaged.

"Right now, he's pretty much had a chainsaw running, clearing trees and doing whatever he can do to help," Woullard said.

Kampman has told Packers officials it's unclear whether he will return to Green Bay for organized team activities planned later this week.

Woullard said anyone interested in making donations to help with damage from the storm can call Lincoln Savings Bank in Aplington, Iowa, at (319) 347-2305 or (800) 588-7551.

Kampman, a defensive end with the Green Bay Packers, drove Monday morning with his wife Linde to Parkersburg. That was a day after a tornado packing winds of more than 200 mph ripped through the town of about 1,800, leveling hundreds of homes before moving east, where it hit New Hartford and Dunkerton.

Seven people were killed and about 50 others were injured, including Kampman's grandfather Claas, 71. He was recovering in a Waterloo hospital.

Kampman, a native of nearby Kelsey, said he couldn't have imagined the destruction he saw when he arrived. But after manning a chainsaw and helping to remove trees and debris, Kampman said residents have to be optimistic.

"There's so much devastation, you can't look at the big picture," Kampman said. "You've got to look at the small victories. That's been (the residents') rallying cry."

He was happy that his grandfather and in-laws didn't suffer more damage, or worse, in the storm, but he said he feels compelled to help others who were less fortunate.

"The Packers are going to do something (to raise funds)," said Kampman, a 1998 Aplington-Parkersburg High School graduate. "This is an opportunity to get as much help (from) all the different circles of influence that people like myself have found themselves in."

The proud football tradition in Parkersburg, which has produced four NFL players in the past 15 years, and the lessons learned on the field will serve the community well in the weeks ahead, Kampman said.

"As a community, this is a tremendous opportunity to draw close," said Kampman, a two-time NFL Pro Bowler. "It's easier to fight back-to-back than on your own.

"The neat thing is, I was driving through town ... and I saw some American flags raised in the rubble. And I saw hope. You saw people hugging in the streets and pulling together. That's what I'm talking about: Small victories."